CUTTACK: In an affidavit filed in Orissa High Court on Thursday, Odisha Consumers Association (OCA) alleged that cases have been pending for long years in State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission as well as district forums due to inadequate infrastructure and huge vacancies.
In two affidavits filed on January 3 and August 14 this year, Yadav had sought ‘unconditional apology’ for delay in compliance of a High Court order issued 20 years ago. While disposing of a petition of OCA on March 22, 1999, the High Court had directed the State Government to provide proper infrastructure and utilisation of funds for success of SCDRC and DCDRFs.
In 2002, the High Court initiated contempt proceedings against the then Secretary of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department after OCA alleged non-compliance of the order. The contempt case which has since been pending for final orders is listed for Friday, OCA counsel Dilip Mohapatra said.Yadav had requested in the affidavits that the contempt proceedings be dropped as appropriate steps have been taken to implement the court’s order ‘from time to time.’
OCA in the rejoinder affidavit accused Yadav of ‘making false statements and trying to mislead the Court’. While Yadav claimed that implementation of the Court’s order was taken up in phases due to non-availability of funds, OCA claimed that the allegation ‘is not true and correct’.
In the rejoinder, Sahu said the Government of India had provided `7.5 crore on December 31, 2012 for Odisha Consumer Welfare Fund. The State Government had provided `2.5 crore towards its share. As on March 30, 2018 `3.45 crore was accrued towards interest from the said deposits. Apart from this fund, the Government had also made specific budget for the Consumer Welfare Department.